Based on the latest interviews, both he and Predictor-Lotto are talking about working on a win for next year. I wonder if Predictor-Lotto would refocus the team structure from McEwen centric to one that supports Evans better.

I note that Predictor-Lotto has an annual budget of 6M Euro compared with T-Mobile's 15M Euro. Discovery is on 9M IIRC.

I think that a 'Cadel-centric' team would have to be on the cards. He's managed 3 top-10 finishes without being the team leader, so hopefully he'll get the recognition and have a team working for him next time.

If they don't make him leader next year, he'd be well advised to find another team. Surely he's raised the profile of the team enough (and that of the sponsor's) that he should be recognised and rewarded for his consistent performance.

Cheers,
Graeme

Think outside the double triangle.---------------------Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it ....

LuckyPierre wrote:I think that a 'Cadel-centric' team would have to be on the cards. He's managed 3 top-10 finishes without being the team leader, so hopefully he'll get the recognition and have a team working for him next time.

At the same time, it's hard to just create a team out of nothing. He might be happy with the Predictor-Lotto environment. At the end of the day, it's a professional job with "company" hierachy.

Kalgrm wrote:But who wants to work in a comapny where they don't recognise performance with promotion?

I don't think that's the case. He has progressed under the Davitamon-Lotto and now Predictor-Lotto umbrella. The bond b/n him and McEwen seemed to be pretty strong too. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what eventuates.

Its was only today i discovered that it has been a long time since i had a boyhood hero but over the course of the tour as a spectator i got to know some of the riders.

I didn't connect with many of the riders featured on the coverage, but with Cadel it was different. His interviews on stages 18 and 19 revealed a soft spoken quiet achiever who doesn't talk a "big ride", yet coverage of those stages showed he has a gritty determination, a iron will and the ability to handle the pressure at the pinnacle of his sport.

Favourite part of the coverage - the sight and sound of the peloton going past fast!
stage 20 was a a great show for Team discovery who found themselves with many highly placed riders in the GC and the current american champion parading down the "champs" like a victorious roman officers entering Rome.

Not to mention Lance in car on the radio (who would have been really stoked with the result)

Fingers crossed next time we see Cadel on the tour he may be sporting a similar entourage.

I wonder how seriously calls for a re-assessment of the stages are being taken? ideas such as only 1 unclassified climb* and maximum stage lengths of 175klm are being talked about.

I agree with this as shorter stages would make it more a spectators sport rather than a marathon for the viewer, and the riders can turn up the heat and we might see a bit more attacking action during the course of the race. The riders themselves will be happy as they can expend more energy in bursts of wild abandon instead of conservative riding.

*-edit - a maximum of 1 unclassified climb per stage in the mountains

Last edited by Halfanewb on Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

If they don't make him leader next year, he'd be well advised to find another team. Surely he's raised the profile of the team enough (and that of the sponsor's) that he should be recognised and rewarded for his consistent performance.

tallywhacker wrote: ...but he is the team leader according to the PL team details on the Le Tour website ...

So he is. For some reason, I thought that 'our Mick' as we Canberrans like to call him was the only Aussie team leader - sorry, Cadel.
Let's hope that the team finds that 'strong climber' for next year.

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